Archive for June, 2007

I just wanted to drop you a line and say I’m getting ready for a great weekend. You see, tomorrow is my anniversary! That’s right…27 years of bliss.

Well, I wouldn’t say every minute was bliss, but it has been a great ride with the love of my life. And, I’m leaving for a few days alone with my honey! After we drop off my middle daughter at the airport in the morning, we will have 2 days alone, including an evening at a really cool bed & breakfast in the resort town of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. The Roosevelt Inn used to be an old school that has been converted to an inn that serves a delicious, gourmet breakfast.

I’m off for some R & R! I hope you get some R & R this weekend. Oh yeah…one more thing. Next week, I’ll be celebrating another event. No, it’s not July 4th. Watch your email because you will want to join in our celebration . . .

Kerry Beck

ps. Tell your honey how much you love them and how much they mean to you TODAY!

pps. I really want to know what you think about my creativity & boredom article, PLEASE, leave a comment on my blog.

Paul Revere arrived just after midnight to warn the colonists the British were coming to Concord to destroy the munitions. Sam Adams and John Hancock were staying at the parson’s home. They already had a system to gather the men from nearby towns by ringing the church bells.

It was amazing to me to see the green where our war for independence began. The roads are in the same place and the green is quite small. The flagpole is in the middle – between the British and colonists. The British soldiers got out of hand and many colonists were killed. I was also touched at the list of names who defended Lexington that day. Many looked like dads, sons, grandsons and grandfathers.

North Bridge where the British were sent back to Boston twenty miles away. The British quickly discovered the colonists meant business and were not going to be easily defeated. Thousands of men & sons came from the surrounding towns to defend their homes.

After stopping at the Visitor Center at the Baltimore harbor, we decided to tour a submarine, floating lighthouse, US Coast Guard ship, lighthouse and the USS Constellation. Four these made up the US Maritime Museum and cost very little to tour. Our history lessons quickly moved up the time line from the American Revolution (Williamsburg) to the Civil War (Constellation) and the two World Wars. If you ever have a chance to visit Baltlimore as a family, I highly recommend it. Any of you Marylanders out there, tell me about other places to visit near Baltimore.

The submarine was our first stop. I can’t imagine living in such close quarters below water for several weeks. Beds were right next to each other and the sub had a small kitchen and dining area. As on all the ships, the captain had his own cook and dining area for officers. The Torsk submarine helped sink several Japanese ships. They kept track of the sunken ships on their own flag. These men were young and brave as they fought against our enemy.

The Chesapeake was a floating lighthouse. Manned by sailors, the Chesapeake helped other ships avoid trouble. There is a painting of a ship headed straight to the Chesapeake. I can’t remember the name of the ship, but it was the sister ship of the Titanic. It rammed the Chesapeake, killing 8 sailors aboard. I don’t think we realize what danger men face as they help and protect others.

Next, we visited the USS Constellation, the last US ship fueled by wind & sails. Before the War between the States, the Constellation was in the Mediterranean to keep the Confederates from getting any ships for their military. WOW…I had no idea the US Navy had forces in the Mediterranean to fight off the Confederacy.

My son was most enthralled with the beds in each ship. The Constellation had dozens of hammocks on the third deck below. If you’ve ever watched Master & Commander, they show what it looked like as the men slept in their hammocks. Interestingly, the officers had more room and more individual sleeping quarters than the Torsk submarine or the Chesapeake.

The second deck was filled with cannons pointed out. Imagine men shooting the cannons, while other sailors are on the top deck pulling ropes to keep the sails pointed in the right direction to catch the wind and sail along.

Other interesting places to note-surgeon’s table and amputation equipment, storage in the hold,

The US Coast Guard ship, the Tamry, was built in the 1930′s and was a piece of shining work when it arrived on the seas. The Tamry was in Pearl Harbor the morning of the Japanese attack and survived the attack. The men were at their stations within 4 minutes and began using the ship’s guns for the first time ever. That’s right they had never had to us the guns until Pearl Harbor. During World War 2, the Tamry was used throughout the Pacific to convoy other ships, as well as fight our enemy.

Many, many more beds on the Tamry…even a barbor shop, manual typewriter, dishwasher, TV and Pepsi can painted on a column to indicate the only way out of the hold in case of sinking.

My daughter walked into the kitchen/dining area and said it reminded her of a school cafeteria. Complete with plastic swivel chairs, cafeteria line with metal rods for trays, and plastic between food servers and sailors walking down the meal line.

Last was the Three Anchors Lighthouse. It was a lighthouse in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, sitting on poles over a high area of the bay. They have since moved it to Baltimore harbor.

As I reflect on the afternoon, I am quickly reminded the danger that I am unaware of. I don’t live in real danger when compared to the men who sailed these ships. I thank God for the men who went before us to defend our nation and our liberties. I also thank God for the men who put their lives in the middle of danger today – military, police, firemen and so forth.

What a relaxing, delightful and delicious evening we had at the King’s Arms Tavern in Williamsburg. Period hors d’oerves started the meal with a ham relish, corn relish and toast. Steve & Ashley enjoyed a Wild Meat Pye which had venison, duckm sausage and rabbit. I had talapia and Hunter had the standard fare of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans.

Before we left, a thunderstorm blew in. Sitting on the second floor of a 200 year old tavern with only candles to light the room was exciting. As the lightning lit the room, we discussed how scary it would be to live in that home.

We just left the National Aquarium on the Baltimore Harbor….very cool!! When we drove away from the Aquarium, my son asked what everyone’s favorite part was. He really, really liked it! We even watched them feed stingrays. Notice the blue glove that just put food into the stingray’s mouth.
Here are a few things we learned:

-Stingrays don’t sting unless they are defending themselves. This usually occurs when someone steps on a stingray and they sting. We saw a huge pool of stingrays with a zebra shark and sea turtle

-Pacific octupus eats its food with its vacuum mouth.

-Dolphins learn their tricks with a “moose” pole.

-Blue poison frogs have enough venom to kill 10,000 mice or 10 people. Just touching these frogs will make you ill.

We just left the National Aquarium on the Baltimore Harbor….very cool!! When we drove away from the Aquarium, my son asked what everyone’s favorite part was. He really, really liked it! We even watched them feed stingrays. Notice the blue glove that just put food into the stingray’s mouth.
Here are a few things we learned:

-Stingrays don’t sting unless they are defending themselves. This usually occurs when someone steps on a stingray and they sting. We saw a huge pool of stingrays with a zebra shark and sea turtle

-Pacific octupus eats its food with its vacuum mouth.

-Dolphins learn their tricks with a “moose” pole.

-Blue poison frogs have enough venom to kill 10,000 mice or 10 people. Just touching these frogs will make you ill.